Get excited because June 14 is Strawberry Shortcake Day. You could easily go to the store and pick out one of those shrink-wrapped bags of spongey, cup-shaped shortcakes and a jar of strawberry preserves. Or, you could finesse the crap out of some cool strawberry shortcake alternatives and really show your friends your culinary talents.
1. Strawberry Shortcake Kabobs
You’ve probably seen these before, and maybe you’ve even tried them at a neighborhood cookout. I’ve personally made a variation of this recipe before, and they were a huge hit at my summer party.
The best part about this finger-food alternative to your run-of-the-mill shortcake is that they’re almost as simple to make. The most time consuming step is the assembly, but if you get a few friends to help you out, these kabobs are sure to be a quick and easy treat. Get the recipe here.
2. Strawberry Shortcake Pancakes
What better way to celebrate Strawberry Shortcake Day than to eat it all day long? Start your day off right with some Strawberry Shortcake Pancakes. Just like with a regular strawberry shortcake, the strawberries need a few hours prep time to marinate, but otherwise, these pancakes are fairly simple to make.
For an extra special garnish, try topping them with some homemade whipped cream and a halved fresh strawberry. Find the recipe here.
3. Crêpe Cake with Strawberry Whipped Cream
Speaking of breakfast, this Crêpe Cake with Strawberry Whipped Cream is sure to earn you some serious culinary respect. Eat it for breakfast, or after dinner, in lieu of the more traditional strawberry shortcake.
Either way, this light and fluffy creation requires fewer than 10 ingredients and isn’t as complicated as it might seem from looking at it. Check it out here.
4. Boozy Strawberries
It’s summertime, aka the time of year when nobody can (or at least shouldn’t) judge you for drinking during the day. Amp your block party up a bit with these boozy strawberries on top of a shortcake base.
If you’re too tipsy from eating the strawberries while you were cooking and don’t feel like making a shortcake to go underneath them– don’t fret. Frozen Sarah Lee All Butter Pound Cakes are seriously yummy shortcake substitutes when you’re in a pinch. The recipe can be found here—just don’t let the kids sneak a piece of this potluck favorite.
5. Strawberry Shortcake Cookies
Are you hosting a party and looking for something that’s easier to eat? Strawberry shortcake cookies might be the way to go. If you can make chocolate chip cookies, you can make these summery strawberry sweets. These would be great for a kids party because no whipped cream = no sticky fingers.
They could also be easily turned into a boozy baked good with this liqueur-infused whipped cream sandwiched between two cookies. Get your cookie recipe here.
6. Strawberry Shortcake Trifle
If you’re looking for more of a show stopper piece that’s going to make you look like a pro, a strawberry trifle might be the best choice for you. While simple to assemble, the trifle looks beautiful when it’s complete.
Much like a tiramisu, the trifle is simply made by layering cubed angel food cake, strawberries, and whipped cream in a glass trifle dish. This recipe calls for Cool Whip, but I think it would be much better with homemade whipped cream.
7. Strawberry Shortcake Poke Cake
Don’t ask me why, but poke cakes seem to be all the rage at the moment. If you’re not familiar with the concept of a poke cake, there’s not much to it. You simply bake a cake, poke a whole bunch of holes in the cake with a fork, and pour liquid jello over the cake to fill in all the holes. The result is a cool drip effect throughout the cake when you cut into it. Here’s the recipe for the strawberry shortcake version of the ever-popular poke cake.
So there it is—your complete list of exciting recipes to try on this year’s Strawberry Shortcake Day. Whether you’re bringing a treat to the neighborhood potluck, hosting a party centered around the holiday, or simply having a party of one, don’t settle for a boring old store-bought shortcake this year.